California Suite (1978)

Director:

Herbert Ross

Writer:

Neil Simon (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 December 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

The best two-hour vacation in town!

Plot:

Misadventures of four groups of guests at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Plot Keywords:

Hotel | Prostitute | Oscars | Actress | Tennis

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Jane Fonda	...	Hannah Warren - Visitors from New York
Alan Alda	...	Bill Warren - Visitors from New York
Maggie Smith	...	Diana Barrie - Visitors from London
Michael Caine	...	Sidney Cochran - Visitors from London
Walter Matthau	...	Marvin Michaels - Visitors from Philadelphia
Elaine May	...	Millie Michaels - Visitors from Philadelphia
Herb Edelman	...	Harry Michaels - Visitors from Philadelphia (as Herbert Edelman)
Denise Galik	...	Bunny - Visitors from Philadelphia
Richard Pryor	...	Dr. Chauncey Gump - Visitors from Chicago
Bill Cosby	...	Dr. Willis Panama - Visitors from Chicago
Gloria Gifford	...	Lola Gump - Visitors from Chicago
Sheila Frazier	...	Bettina Panama - Visitors from Chicago
David Sheehan	...	Himself
Michael Boyle	...	Desk Clerk - At the Hotel
Len Lawson	...	Frank - At the Hotel

Also Known As:

Neil Simon's California Suite

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

21932 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California, USA

Company:

Rastar Films

Trivia:

The movie shot extensively inside and on the grounds of the famous Beverly Hills Hotel. Today the hotel's inside looks rather different, having been renovated for a whopping $150 million. Today a very strict no-filming policy is being enforced by the management, sparing its camera-shy celebrity guests of any media hassle.

Goofs:

Continuity: When we first meet Hannah, her room number at the Beverly Hills Hotel is 305. Later, when she and Bill return from a day at the beach, the room number is 306.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[a two-seater plane is flying over snow-capped mountains]
Harold: For heaven's sake, Wendy - look for an airport. Will you look for the airport?
Diana Barrie: Oh don't make such a fuss. Just put it down on a mountain.
Harold: What do you mean 'just put it down'? I'm lucky I can keep it up. I told you I never flew before.
Diana Barrie: Don't shout at me - I'm a first-class passenger.
Harold: You're a first class lunatic. It's all over Wendy - our relationship has a quarter of a tank to go.
Diana Barrie: Yes, but - you do love me, don't you Harold? I know this is an awkward time to bring it up, but I must know, for our future.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Features Gilda (1946)

A mixed bag

Having always felt that Neil Simon's work, though generally wonderful, can be hit and miss, California Suite seems to represent this more than any of his other pieces. Clearly he is a writer for performers and how well some of them respond here. Jane Fonda gives a remarkably assured and confident performance mixing vulnerability with stubbornness so effortlessly. Yes her segment is perhaps, stripped down, just the age old East/West Coast argument but it becomes a very human story about 2 people who were once in love. So great to see such a female character like hers on the screen and Jane Fonda is so skilled at introducing pathos whilst still being able to somewhat distance the viewer. It really is ultimately a very touching episode. The Caine/Smith segment is also tremendous fun with Dame Maggie doing her Margo Channing bit. The Oscar she won for this tributes her comic skills here which have perhaps been underused in her career. The wonderful Elaine May also stands out in a true farce with Mr Matthau but The Pryor/Cosby section is plainly, embarrassingly bad. It feels as if it was written by a poor sitcom writer and there are enoguh embarrassing sitcoms from America polluting the world's television. All in all, a very watchable film but wouldn't you just love to have the facility to edit films for your own viewing.